NORTHWEST COLORADO NEWS AND SPORTS FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 25TH

School Begins Tomorrow In Moffat County

Students head to class tomorrow across Moffat County. Classes in Steamboat Springs start on Wednesday for all grades except kindergarten classes, which will begin on Thursday. Hayden and Meeker classes begin on September 3rd.

Districts that began classes earlier in the month were Rangely which started classes on the 19th, Little Snake River Valley on the 21st and SoRoCo on the 22nd.

Colorado‘s Early Childhood Education System Gets a Boost

The U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are awarding a $15 million supplemental award to Colorado. This funding is in addition to the previous $29.9 million dollar award Colorado received last December from the Race to the Top: Early Learning Challenge.

In December, Colorado received $29.9 million to help fund the state’s plans to improve school readiness. The purpose of the grant money is to increase access to high-quality early learning programs and help develop the capacity of programs and services for children with the highest needs. The supplemental money from the 2013 Race to the Top: Early Learning Challenge will accelerate Colorado’s vision of having every child ready for kindergarten; and every third-grader reading proficiently.

These resources will provide additional funding for several key project areas within the grant, including:

Evolve the statewide tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) to ensure children receive the highest quality programming in all licensed settings and implement a shared services model in high-needs communities for business stability and quality improvement.

Integrate early childhood learning and development guidelines within all early learning system elements including workforce competencies, comprehensive assessments systems, TQRIS, and parent training and tools.

Leverage the state’s comprehensive assessment systems to ensure early identification and effective interventions and supports for children with high needs, leading to kindergarten readiness.

Create a highly-qualified early childhood workforce through a competency based system that supports both formal and informal education opportunities and allows an evaluation of educator effectiveness, linked to Colorado’s K-12 system.

Expand the kindergarten entry assessment to ensure that Colorado’s children are on the right path to achievement at third grade and beyond.

These strategies are key components to the state’s broader vision outlined in Colorado Reads: The Early Literacy Initiative.

Tips to Get Kids to be Healthier this School Year

Childhood obesity rates have skyrocketed over the past 30 years. Right now, one-third of American kids are overweight or obese.

Since most kids consume half their daily calories at school, healthy eating habits must be addressed both at home and in the classroom.

Here are some lunch packing tips for parents:

• Make a bento box:Instead of packing the traditional entrée and sides, make lunch out of small snacks in a multi-compartment box. Hardboiled eggs, raisins, an apple or other fresh fruit, crackers, tuna fish, pasta salad, veggies, dips and more.

• Travel the world:Go with an international theme each day, such as Mexican, Asian or Italian. Include an educational note about the meal’s origin.

• Include a surprise: Kids love surprises, such as favorite photos, stickers or a reminder about an upcoming event. A lunch box surprise can make your child’s day extra special.

But nutrition is only half the equation. As screen time competes for kids’ attention, active time is decreasing. And exercise is crucial to preventing obesity, improving motor skills and providing a social outlet.

Here are tips to coax a child forward in a group fitness scenario:

• Allow spectating: The first time in a new environment can be emotionally draining. Stay for an entire class and return the next time.

• Never force participation: Be a source of comfort for your child while he or she sits on the sidelines. Your child will feed off your energy.

• Look for peer leaders: Outgoing children are often thrilled to help another child feel more comfortable.

• Pay attention to leaders’ personalities: Whether it’s classes, sports or school, the leader can make or break the experience. Does the coach make kids comfortable? Look for telltale signs and find a coach that works well with your child.

STEAMBOAT PUBLIC WORKS TO REPLACE WATER MAIN

Tomorrow, the Steamboat Public Works Department will begin replacement of an aged, undersized water main along Pine Street between 5th and 9th Streets. Work will begin at the intersection of Pine & 5th, and will progress down Pine Street to 9th Street. Completion is slated for November 1st. Access to all homes will be maintained at all times. Rolling 1-block closures of Pine Street will be implemented to facilitate the construction, and detours will route motorists and bicyclists along Oak Street and Aspen Street. If you have questions, contact the Steamboat Public Works Department.

In high school sports over the weekend:
In boys tennis:

The Steamboat Springs High School boy’s tennis team, fell to Boulder 7-0 on Friday and lost to Rocky Mountain High School 5-2 Saturday. Both matches were at home for the Sailors. Their next matches will be at Fossil Ridge on Friday and at Poudre on Saturday.

Broncos Now 2-1 In Preseason Action

While the Broncos rehearsed for their first regular season game on September 5th, starting linebacker Von Miller got a work out in the first half of last nights game in preparation for his six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, which will begin that same day. Broncos fans will have to wait until October 20th, when Miller and the Broncos face Indianapolis, to see the linebacker play a regular season game. The Broncos came from behind last night, and fought off the Rams two point conversion attempt in the last seconds of the game to eke out a 27-26 win at home. The Broncos final preseason game is Thursday night, at home, against Arizona. You can listen to that game on 55 Country beginning with the pre-game at 5:05pm. Kick-off is scheduled for 7pm.